


Secret Valentine

by annalore



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-10-31
Updated: 2002-10-31
Packaged: 2019-07-15 11:02:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16061774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annalore/pseuds/annalore
Summary: Buffy hates Valentine's day. But this year, it turns out to be not so horrible after all.





	Secret Valentine

**Author's Note:**

> This was written as a response to Andra's V-d challange. The challange elements are at the bottom.

"I hate Valentine's Day." Buffy Summers said, staring morosely down at the research table at the Magic Box. "And these things. They're all... sugary, and gross."

"But these are new. They're tart," her sister, Dawn, piped up.

"Oh. I guess that's okay," Buffy answered, popping one in her mouth. "I still hate Valentine's Day, though."

"I'm not seeing the bad here."

Buffy glowered at her sister. "That's because you have a date, when all I have is..." she glanced over to where Spike was slouched casually against the wall. "All I have is..."

She gave up trying to find a definition, much less one she could share with her sister, and Dawn gave her a strange look. Buffy turned back to the hearts on the table and, picking up another one said, "Oh! 'Fax me.' How lame is that?"

Dawn snorted with laughter.

"Better not do that on your date." Buffy counciled snidely.

"Love you too, Buff." her sister shot back, before slumping back in her chair.

After a minute of sitting in silence, the teenager broke out with, "Can we go home yet? This is boring."

Shooting another surreptitious glance at Spike, Buffy nodded slightly. Out of the periphery of his vision, she saw him nod back. "Yeah, Dawn, I guess there's nothing else for us to do..."

After sending Dawn off on her date -- it had been really cute, she had to admit -- Buffy sat down on the sofa and waited for him to come, as arranged.

She was a little nervous. She'd done this before, of course, but today was Valentine's Day. He might think it implied things, think it meant more. Think it meant something at all. Okay, even she knew that was way harsh. Didn't like that she'd dismiss him that easily. He meant something to her. Meant...

Now she was running to the other extreme. She was confused. That was okay, right? She could be confused if she wanted to. It's not like there was anything wrong with being confused. She silently admitted that there was something wrong. It was wrong to...

A hand clasped her shoulder. She jumped, startled. She'd been so lost in thought, she hadn't heard him come in. Calming her nerves, she turned around to greet her... lover? Spike. She turned around to greet Spike.

He was wearing the same thing he had been earlier. So nothing special, right? Just normal. Just the usual hot, naked (sometimes), sweaty (on her part, at least) sex. For hours at a time. Just like usual.

"So what's a girl like you doing alone on a night like this?" Spike asked.

So he was going to bring it up. She could play too.

"Alone? I thought I had a date." It slipped out, like it was a natural thing to say. "I thought I had... plans." She arched into him suggestively.

"Oh, I do have plans for you, love." he said, reaching over the back of the sofa to encircle her waist with his arms. "First things first, though. Come with me."

"Where?" she asked curiously.

"Not far. Come now."

She swallowed hard. Something special, then. Something emotional? She didn't want... She didn't know anymore. She just didn't know. She climbed off the sofa obediently and walked to his side. He took her hand and led her out her back door.

"Sit," he commanded, indicating a blanket layed out in the yard.

She sat. He followed her and sat next to her. She waited, not sure what was happening between them.

"Figured we should stay close to home, the Bit out and about. But Buffy, I wanted to do something for you. Something you'd let me... A little cliched, but here."

He picked up a bag that had been sitting at the edge of the blanket and plopped it down next to her. He pulled out first a plate of sandwiches, then a box from some fancy bakery, then finally a bottle of some sort of wine. Probably the fizzy type, chilled. Probably the type used for romantic gestures. She didn't know whether to be put off, running scared, or touched. At this point, it was a toss up.

"Spike... you know alcohol and I don't get along."

"Try it. After all," he raised his eyebrow "I'll be here to make sure nothing goes... amiss."

"Spike..." she repeated, her tone playfully warning.

"Might be cute. Seeing you without _any_ inhabitions."

In the end, she hadn't been able to deny him. So, glasses had been brought out, and wine had been poured and consumed. It had been sorta good, actually. The harshness of the alcohol had been mellowed by the sweetness of the cool liquid. The sandwiches had been eaten, with him snatching the occasional bite and her hitting his hand whenever it came near her food. She was hungrier than she'd thought. Must have been all that moping. Moping really built up an appetite. So did brooding. Not that she'd been doing any of that.

Finally she moved on to the box. It was a slice of cake. Chocolate. And lots of it. She took the fork that he offered her, and tasted the desert. She held the box closer to her, almost possesively. "Don't even think you're getting any of this."

"And you were so generous with all the other courses..." he said, pretending to pout. She normally would have played his game, but chocolate...

"The way to a girl's heart," she whispered.

"Then I should have given you that...?" he let slip.

"Should have given me what?" she asked around the fork, which was currently engaged in shoveling more cake into her mouth.

"It's nothing," he responded shortly, and she let it drop. She could always coax it out of him later.

After another minute, she dropped the empty box and collapsed back onto the blanket. "Okay, I'm full now. Good, by the way. And wow, stars."

Pleased by the compliment, but slightly non-plussed by her other comment, he looked up at the sky. Sure enough, it was a clear night. Lots of stars. He looked back at her.

"Some find them captivating." he whispered.

"And you?"

"I'm already a captive."

He leaned down and brushed her hair back slowly. The wine -- it was the wine, wasn't it? -- was making her face flush, the warmth behind her skin being drawn to the coolness of his hand. He then brought his lips down to hers and softly kissed her. She felt her heart fluttering, ever so slightly. The wine. It had to be the wine.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion, to be softer, deeper, more intense. Her head was swimming and her body felt like it was on fire. He brought one hand under her head, and the other moved beneath her shirt. She hadn't moved from the position she'd landed in, her knees slightly bent, her arms flat on the blanket, palms pressed to the ground.

She let him devour her slowly, just as she'd let him seduce her. It was sorta sexy, she decided, being romanced by her secret lover. Being kissed by him in her own back yard. Being... Oh.

"In the house. Now." she murmured.

"You want that? You want me to take you in your own bed?"

It was a fair question. She never had before. Too personal. But it was Valentine's Day, the night to have the perfect date. The night for lovers to love. Her heart was going all melty over his gestures, and her body was humming from the wine (was it the wine?) and the everpresent desire for him. She'd had the usual. And it was great. But this night was for special things. She wanted it special. But...

"Why? Why do I want it?" she whispered, presupposing the fact that she did want it.

"'It is impossible to love and be wise'" he answered cryptically.

"I'm not promising..."

"I know."

"I just..."

"Know that one, too."

"I might hurt you."

"This night is for you, Buffy. If you want it, I'll give it to you. After all," he repeated, "it's impossible to love and be wise."

She nodded slightly. She didn't want to hurt him. It didn't change the fact that she knew she might want to later, knew she might need to later. He was offering, and she was taking. Maybe she'd be able to find it in herself to do a little giving later. She hoped it would be different this time. Not just the wine, making her do foolish things. He stood up and lifted her gently off the blanket, carrying her into house.

The red numbers on the clock face read "10:20." Dawn was due home soon. Buffy disentangled herself from Spike and rolled out of the bed. As she dug through her drawers and found a pair of pyjama bottoms and a tank top to put on, her lover roused slightly.

"Where're you going, pet? Can't run away from your own house, you know."

She walked back to the bed and, putting her hand on his shoulder, reassured, "I'm just going downstairs. Dawn should be coming home. You stay here, I'll be back."

She walked down the stairs slowly. With every step, the ground seemed to rush up at her and she moved as in a stupor. Sex with Spike could do that. Or maybe it had been the wine. Her mouth was all dry and she felt the beginning of a headache. Bleh. _That_ was the wine, she was sure. Spike feelings were always good.

She went into the kitchen and got a glass out of the cabinet. Her hand trembled slightly as she set it down on the counter. Better not to use it, she thought. Better not to risk dropping it. A hot blush rose to her cheeks as she thought about how he'd turned all her muscles to jelly. How they'd... made love, again and again, until even her stamina finally gave out.

She splashed some water on her face, welcoming the coolness, but not as much as she had welcomed his touch. She cupped her hands and let the water run into them, sipping from the pool that formed there.

She heard the door slam and Dawn's voice call out at almost the same time.

"Buffy."

"I'm in the kitchen," she said, shutting off the faucett and making her way into the front hall. "Have fun?"

"Only lots," Dawn bubbled excitedly. "Kevin got me the cutest heart shaped balloon. I sorta let it go, though. Oh, and this," she said, producing a small fuzzy, pink thing as Buffy came into view.

"What is that, a fuzz demon?"

"No, it's a _bear_." Dawn rolled her eyes. Sometimes she swore her sister wouldn't know romance if it hit her over the head... Or was it that she wouldn't call it romance _unless_ it hit her over the head? Some things were just not worth contemplating.

Buffy gave her sister a forbearing smile. "I'm glad you had fun. And you're not even late, either."

"Check the clock."

They both looked at the clock on the hall table. 10:35. Buffy rolled her eyes. Had she ever done things like that? No, she'd just come home early, assured her mother she was in bed and hopped out the window. Dawn's way of making a statement was okay, she decided.

"Buffy..." Dawn started, that 'I'm about to ask for something' look in her eyes.

"What is it?"

"Can I sleep over Janice's? Please? You know I don't have school tomorrow, because of that teacher conference thing."

"Is that something I have to go to?"

"No, it's not like kindergarden. They have conferences with themselves. Or with each other... or I could just quit while I'm ahead. Please, please."

"Okay. You can go. Just..."

"Be careful, no going in the dark with strange boys," Dawn recited, familliar with the speech by now.

"Or boys at _all_."

"Buffy. Come on. Let's not even get into what you were doing with boys at my age."

"I was making them dusty."

Dawn gave her a patented glare, then went off the call Janice.

While her sister was on the phone, Buffy wandered back up the stairs and sat down heavily on the top step. More time alone with Spike. Good, but also not so good. It was better when she didn't have time to think. Better when she only had time to feel, and do. Better when she hadn't had to worry if her little sister would find her lover lying in her bed. Better if she didn't have to wonder what people would think of their bruises and scratches if they saw them.

Dawn came racing back into the hallway and up the stairs after a moment, clearly intent on packing an overnight bag. She hesitated when she reached her door, surprising Buffy.

"Tonight wasn't too horrible for you, was it?"

"No, Dawnie. Not too horrible. Not bad at all, in fact."

**Author's Note:**

> Write a B/S Valentine's day fic, including the following elements - Candy hearts, A red, heart shaped mylar balloon, a picnic under the stars, and the quote "It is impossible to love and be wise" (Francis Bacon).


End file.
